Autonomous, intelligent virtual agents (IVAs) are increasingly used commercially in essential information spaces such as healthcare. Existing IVA research has focused on microscale interaction patterns, for example those related to the usability of artificial intelligence systems. However, the sociotechnical patterns of users’ information practices and their relationship with the design and adoption of IVAs have been largely understudied, especially when it comes to older adults, who stand to benefit greatly from IVAs. Yet, exposing such patterns may more meaningfully relate sociotechnical considerations to users’ perceptions and attitudes toward the adoption of emerging technologies such as IVAs. We explore here the feasibility of information models in informing our understanding of how older adults may use and perceive an IVA. To do this, we relate the insights and findings from a case study of health information IVAs to the six stages of the information search process model (ISP). By doing this, we uncover sociotechnical issues pertinent to each stage of the ISP which help to better contextualize (older) users’ interaction with intelligent interfaces such as IVAs. Through this, we argue for the potential of information models to inform the design of interactive user interfaces from a sociotechnical approach.

自主的智能虚拟代理（IVA）在诸如医疗保健之类的基本信息空间中日益商业化使用。现有的IVA研究集中于微观交互模式，例如与人工智能系统的可用性相关的交互模式。但是，用户信息实践的社会技术模式及其与IVA的设计和采用之间的关系已被广泛研究，尤其是对于老年人，他们将从IVA中受益匪浅。然而，暴露这种模式可能更有意义地将社会技术因素与用户对采用诸如IVA之类的新兴技术的看法和态度联系起来。我们在这里探索信息模型的可行性，以帮助我们了解老年人如何使用和感知IVA。去做这个，我们将健康信息IVA案例研究中的见解和发现与信息搜索过程模型（ISP）的六个阶段联系起来。通过这样做，我们发现了与ISP各个阶段有关的社会技术问题，这些问题有助于更好地将（较旧的）用户与智能接口（如IVA）的交互进行情境化。通过这种方式，我们认为信息模型的潜力可以从社会技术方法为交互式用户界面的设计提供信息。